Orthodontic press



Dec. 6, 1955 GER$HATER 2,725,916

ORTHODONTIC PRESS Filed April 2, 1955 Fig.

Maurice M. Gershafer INVENTOR.

9 BY aadflwayfim 2,725,916 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 ORTHODONTIC PRESS Maurice M. Gershater, White Plains, N. Y. Application April 2, 1953, Serial No. 346,454 4 Claims. (Cl. 153-21) This invention relates to the art of presses and more particularly to an orthodontic press especially adapted to make brackets, tubes andv eyelets for orthodontic appliances.

Orthodontic appliances and. other materials used in therapeutic and restorative dentistry must be manufactured to very close tolerances. In order to shape these materials to the dimensions desired dies are preferably used in many cases since the materials are capable of being more or less easily deformed. However, when using dies to apply pressure on materials to deform them, it is a common occurrence for the dies to become dislocated by rotation or precession out of their desired path of travel thus deforming the material in an undesired and inaccurate manner. It. is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a hand press machine for orthodontic use which while being very strong and durable is highly accurate and reliable and capable of pressing in an accurate manner materials of even considerable thickness.

Other advantages of this orthodontic press reside in the interchangeability of dies, the low cost of production of the devices, the novel die holders which provide means for maintaining the material in alignment, and the ease and flexibility of operation thereof.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this orthodontic press, a preferred embodiment thereof being shown in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an orthodontic press constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the die holders comprising important elements of the invention with dies secured in position ready for use; and,

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of species of dies used in conjunction with this invention.

Wih continuing reference to the accompanying vdrawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral generally designates the orthodontic press comprising the present invention which includes a base 12 hav ing a stand 14 of suitable configuration preferably integrally cast therewith. The stand 14 terminates at its upper end in a bifurcated portion forming a pair of ears 16. An operating lever 18 is pivotally secured between the ears 16 and a shaft 20 extending between the ears 16. A cotter key 22 may be used to hold the shaft 20 in place, the end of the shaft 20, not visible, being provided with a head or suitable stop.

The lever 18 has preferably integrally cast therewith a cam portion 24 formed with an arcuate cam surface 26 adapted to engage the upper surface 28 of a plunger 30. The plunger 30 extends through apertured guide plates 32 and 34 which are vertically spaced from each other and which may be integrally cast with the stand 14. The

plunger 30 is provided with a milled slot 36 medial the ends thereof and is further provided with a stop or pin 38 secured to the plunger 30 at a point just above the slot 36. A suitable threaded aperture extends through the Wall of the guide 26 normal to the plunger 30 and a set screw or other pin 40 is provided for preventing rotation of the plunger 30, the set screw 40 engaging the plunger 30 within the milled slot 36. Biasing the guide 34 and the stop 38 is a coil spring 42 which is coaxial With the plunger 30 and continuously urges the plunger 30 upwardly thus retaining the upper surface 28 of the plunger in continuous engagement with the cam surface 26. The lower end of the plunger 30 is of a reduced cross-sectional area and is threaded as is shown at 44. Threadedly secured on the threaded end 44 of the plunger 30 is a shank 46 forming a part of an upper die holder. The shank is provided with a recess 48 in the lower end thereof and has a threaded aperture provided with a set screw 50 extending normal to the recess 48. The recess 48 is adapted to receive the upper cylindrical end 52 of the upper die holder 54 and is held in place by the set screw 50. The lower portions of the upper die holder 54 are bifurcated to form spaced downwardly extending plates 56 within which an upper die such as indicated at 58 may be held in position by means of a set screw 60 extending through one of the plates 56. The die 58 is simply a fiat rectangular piece of suitable metal provided with a projecting tongue 62. In Figure 4 there is illustrated a suitable die 58' having a pair of tongues 62' for use in deformingmetal in a manner somewhat different from that capable of being performed by the die 58. p I

The base 12 is provided with a suitable opening 64 thereinand a threaded aperture 66 is further provided in the base 12 and extends normal to the opening 64. The opening 64 is adapted to receive the cylindrical portion 68 of the lower die holder 70 which has its upper portions formed with bifurcated plates 72. The bifurcated plates 72 are cut away at one side thereof and a backing plate 74 of substantially inverted L-shape is lockingly secured in position on the lower die holder 70 by means of a suitable screw 76. The backing plate 74 has a substantially horizontal flange 78 which is adapted to overlie a lower die 80 secured between the bifurcated plates 72 and held in place by set screw 82. provided with a recess 84 somewhat greater in size than the tongue 62 so as to provide means for receiving the tongue 62 and a deformed piece of metal therein. The lower die 80, as is illustrated in Figure 4, includes two recesses or grooves 84' also somewhat larger in size than the tongue 62' which are employed in a similar manner to the use to which the groove 84 of the die 80 is employed. Obviously, other suitable dies both upperand lower may be used as desired and the precise configuration of these dies is a'matter of choice and design. The upper horizontal flange 78 of the backing plate 74 is further provided with a' recess 86 in the side edge thereof and in the under portions as at 88. The recess 86 forms a guide for the upper die 58 while the recess 88 forms a lip for retaining the metal or other material to be performed on the lower die and prevents its distortion by being withdrawn upwardly when the operating lever 18 is released.

In operation, a strip of metal is inserted above the lower die 80 which has previously been selected and installed in the die holder 70, the lower die holder 70 having been installed in the recess 64 and locked in place using the screw 90. The upper die holder 54 having had the die 58 as selected secured therein, the device is ready for actuation. Upon depression of the operating lever 18 the upper die 58 will be driven downwardly within the recess 86 in the backing plate 74 and will contact a piece The lower die 80 is of metal which has been inserted beneath the lip formed by the recess 88. Then, upon application of suitable pressure the metal strip will then be deformed after which the operating lever 18 can be released. The spring 42 will then urge the plunger 30 upwardly withdrawing the upper die 58 from its engagement with the lower die 80. Then, the metal strip can be removed or replaced in another suitable position.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this orthodontic press are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be readily resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An orthodontic press comprising a base, a vertically extending stand secured to said base, an operating lever pivotally secured to said stand, a pair of vertically spaced apertured guides extending outwardly from said stand, a plunger slidably carried by said guides and extending through the apertures in said guides, and a cam affixed to said lever engaging said plunger to push said plunger downwardly when said lever is depressed, an opening in said base, a threaded aperture in said base extending normal to said opening, a lower die holder removably positioned in said opening, a fastener threadedly secured in said threaded opening for engaging said lower die holder, said plunger having a threaded lower end, and an upper die holder detachably threadedly secured on said threaded end of said plunger, said lower die holder having a bifurcated upper portion, a backing plate detachably secured to said bifurcated upper portion, said backing plate being substantially of an inverted L-shape having a horizontal flange for overlying a die supported in said bifurcated upper portion, said flange having a recess therein adapted to receive a die secured in said upper die holder.

2. An orthodontic press comprising a base, a vertically extending stand secured to said base, an operating lever pivotally secured to said stand, a pair of vertically spaced apertured guides extending outwardly from said stand, a plunger slidably carried by said guides and extending through the apertures in said guides, and a cam affixed to said lever engaging said plunger to push said plunger downwardly when said lever is depressed, an opening in said base, a threaded aperture in said base extending normal to said opening, a lower die holder removably positioned in said opening, a fastener threadedly secured in said threaded opening for engaging said lower die holder, said plunger having a threaded lower end, and an upper die holder detachably threadedly secured on said threaded end of said plunger, said lower die holder having a bifurcated upper portion, a backing plate detachably secured to said bifurcated upper portion, said backing plate being substantially of an inverted L-shape having a horizontal flange for overlying a die supported in said bifurcated upper portion, said flange having a recess therein adapted to receive a die secured in said upper die holder, said plunger having an elongated slot therein, a stop at the upper end of said slot, and a spring co axial with said plunger biasing said stop and the lower of said guides.

3. An orthodontic press comprising a base, a vertically extending stand secured to said base, an operating lever pivotally secured to said stand, a pair of vertically spaced apertured guides extending outwardly from said stand, a plunger slidably carried by said guides and extending through the apertures in said guides, and a cam affixed to said lever engaging said plunger to push said plunger downwardly when said lever is depressed, an opening in said base, a threaded aperture in said base extending normal to said opening, a lower die holder removably positioned in said opening, a fastener threadedly secured in said threaded opening for engaging said lower die holder, said plunger having a threaded lower end, and an upper die holder detachably threadedly secured on said threaded end of said plunger, said lower die holder having a bifurcated upper portion, a backing plate detachably secured to said bifurcated upper portion, said backing plate being substantially of an inverted L-shape having a horizontal flange for overlying a die supported in said bifurcated upper portion, said flange having a recess therein adapted to receive a die secured in said upper die holder, said plunger having an elongated slot therein, a stop at the upper end of said slot, and a spring coaxial with said plunger biasing said stop and the lower of said guides, said lower guide carrying a pin, said pin extending into said slot.

4. An orthodontic press comprising a base, a plunger, means slidably supporting said plunger for vertical movement relative to said base, means engaging said plunger to push said plunger downwardly toward said base, an opening in said base, a threaded aperture in said base extending normal to said opening, a lower die holder removably positioned in said opening, a fastener threadedly secured in said threaded opening for engaging said lower die holder, said plunger having a threaded lower end, and an upper die holder detachably threadedly secured on said threaded end of said plunger, said lower die holder having a bifurcated upper portion, a backing plate detachably secured to said bifurcated upper portion, said backing plate being substantially of an inverted L-shape having a horizontal flange for overlying a die supported in said bifurcated upper portion, said flange having a recess therein adapted to receive a die secured in said upper die holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10,554 Foster, Jr Feb. 21, 1854 117,116 Sevey July 18, 1871 1,560,745 Walker Nov. 5, 1925 1,912,158 Pannier May 30, 1933 1,990,079 Krivig Feb. 5, 1935 2,006,889 Fromrnherz July 2, 1935 

